RENTON, WA - Boye Mafe has yet to suit up for a padded practice or a game in the NFL, but that didn't stop coach Pete Carroll from offering lofty praise for the second-round pick.
Moments after the conclusion of Seattle's final mandatory minicamp practice, when asked for his thoughts on how the incoming rookies handled their first offseason program, Carroll raved about Mafe. Comparing him to a former pass rushing legend, he believes the ex-Minnesota standout has a shot at being a disruptive difference maker off the edge in coordinator Clint Hurtt's scheme on day one.
"He's really talented. He's the closest looking fit to Cliff Avril that we've seen," Carroll gushed. "The explosion, the flexibility, the bend that he has. Cliff had a great career for us in the league and if he can get anywhere near that, it would be a great plus for us. It looks like he's got the chance to be that kind of player, but we'll see how that goes. Hopefully he's gonna work with Cliff this offseason, that's gonna help."
While it doesn't seem like that long ago, Avril last played for the Seahawks back in 2017 when he suffered a career-ending neck injury in a win over the Colts. Since then, the team has played musical chairs at defensive end with Frank Clark, Jadeveon Clowney, and most recently Carlos Dunlap being with the team no more than two seasons during that span. Others such as Jacob Martin, Benson Mayowa, and Kerry Hyder didn't stick around long either.
Not surprisingly, that turnover has led to inconsistent production from Seattle's pass rush since Avril retired. Last season, Carroll's squad ranked a dismal 30th in sack percentage, 22nd in total sacks, and 27th in quarterback pressure rate, falling into the bottom third of the league in all three categories. In 2020, thanks in large part to Dunlap's arrival at the trade deadline, they fared far better finishing seventh in the NFL in sacks, while they were 24th in 2019.
One of the more reliable pass rushers in the league starring at the LEO position for the vaunted "Legion of Boom" defenses, Avril racked up 34.5 sacks and 88 quarterback hits in five seasons with the Seahawks. In three of those seasons, he eclipsed 8.0 sacks, including producing a career-high 11.5 sacks and earning his first and only Pro Bowl selection in 2016. He also was a master at the strip sack, registering 14 forced fumbles during that span.
Statistically, Mafe's college numbers actually stack up favorably with Avril, who starred at Purdue from 2005 to 2007. Avril produced 12.5 sacks during his final two seasons on campus, while Mafe had 11.5 in fewer games due to a shortened 2020 season courtesy of the COVID-19 pandemic. Both players registered three forced fumbles in their collegiate careers respectively.
The similarities don't stop with statistics, however. Comparing their combine testing results, Avril clocked in 0.02 seconds faster in the 40-yard dash, edging Mafe with a 4.51 time. The 6-foot-3 Mafe measured in slightly bigger, weighing 261 pounds compared to Avril at 253, and yet managed to post superior explosive numbers with a 38-inch vertical jump and 125-inch broad jump.
Coming into the NFL, Mafe has plenty of areas left to improve after emerging as a bit of a late bloomer for the Golden Gophers. He wasn't a full-time starter until his senior season and remains a work in progress defending the run, which could lead to him being a situational rusher in the early stages of his career.
However, Mafe demonstrated elite burst off the snap, a refined set of counter moves, and underrated hand technique disengaging from blocks at the Senior Bowl, producing a pair of sacks and three tackles for loss in the all-star showcase. He also emulated Avril forcing a fumble on a strip sack during the contest and according to Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy, "he's got a knack to get the ball" that parallels the former Seahawks star.
Battling for snaps against Darrell Taylor, Uchenna Nwosu, Alton Robinson, and fellow rookie Tyreke Smith, Mafe will have to prove himself worthy of the lofty comp once training camp opens next month. That's a lot of pressure to put on a rookie given how important Avril was to Seattle's success competing for Super Bowl titles on and off the field. Those are giant shoes to fill.
But clearly, Carroll loves what he's seen from Mafe thus far and his potential fit in a 3-4 scheme as a hybrid outside linebacker. While it's far too early to know if he will have the same type of impact Avril did, as long as what he's done to this point translates to padded practices in August, he will have a legitimate shot to contribute immediately and wreak havoc rushing off the edge.
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